1. Field
The present disclosure relates to composite protective layer for a photoelectrode structure, a photoelectrode structure including the composite protective layer, and a photoelectrochemical cell (“PEC”) including the photoelectrode structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
A photoelectrochemical cell (“PEC”) that obtains hydrogen and oxygen through decomposition of water by using solar energy is environmentally friendly because sunlight and water are used as an energy source and a reactant, respectively.
In most conventional PECs, a photoelectrode directly contacts an aqueous electrolyte and as a result, performance of the PECs is reduced due to corrosion caused by a reaction between the photoelectrode and the aqueous electrolyte. Also, because only materials stable in the aqueous electrolyte may be used as the materials for the photoelectrode, there is a limitation in using semiconductor materials capable of exerting better photoelectric efficiency. Thus there remains a need for an improved photoelectrode material.